How to prevent teenagers from cyberbullying?

How to prevent teenagers from getting harassed and blackmailed over social networking sites.

How to prevent teenagers from cyberbullying?– With the rise of smartphones and cheap data services, the use of social media and other social networking sites have increased exponentially. Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram have become household fame. These applications were primarily built to connect with other people across the globe. Most people use these for entertainment purpose. There are some people who misuse these applications in a way to harm other innocent people.

Cyberbullying Definition

Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like mobile phones, computers, or tablets. It can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media (social media bullying), forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation. Some cyberbullying crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behavior.

There have been a lot of cases that are being reported in the cybercrime department these days. It is now high time that we become aware of all the things that are required to deal with cyber-crime. There are a lot of things that we need to know if we get trapped in some way or the other on these social networking sites. Some things that we must keep in mind are as follows:

How to prevent teenagers from cyberbullying?

1. Never tolerate any kind of blackmailing from the start itself. People need to be prepared mentally to fight back with any situation that comes in front of them.

2. Sex chatting or sharing nudes is not a crime. Blackmailing people or sharing someone’s personal image is a crime in India.

3. If someone has shared their intimate photos with a person whom they have trusted, then it is not their fault. The other person who shared those is wrong and he needs to be checked.

4. In the case of blackmailing, we need to take advice from a lawyer first. It would help the victim to place a strong case against the blackmailer in front of the police.

How to report cyberbullying?

5. How to report cyberbullying? These crimes can also be reported anonymously at www.cybercrime.gov.in. It is a dedicated website for the Ministry of Home Affairs.

6. The online cases are dealt with the respective police authorities of the States or the Union Territories based on the information provided by the victim.

7. The case progress could also be tracked. For tracking though, the person needs to create an id first.

Social media bullying

8. For complaining issues on Facebook, we could contact on the link: https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/567360146613371

9. For complaining issues on Instagram, we could contact on the link: https://help.instagram.com/contact/1681792605481224?helpref=faq_content

10. On WhatsApp, people could report by using the report feature in the chat itself.

Harassment Cyberbullying

11. We must note that Capturing or publishing an image of a person without their consent is a punishable offense under Section 66E of the IT Act,2000—Violation of Policy.

12. For sharing images or videos to defame someone is punishable. This is under Section67 of the IT Act,2000—Transmitting obscene electronic material.

13. For victims who are below 18 years, sharing videos and images comes under child pornography crime- Section 67B of the IT Act,2000.

14. Using hidden cameras to record and shoot images and video clips is a punishable offense under Section67A of the IT Act,2000—electronic material containing sexually explicit act.

We would suggest all teenagers and even the adults consider all the above-mentioned facts and work accordingly to protect their near ones.